All I want for Christmas is your two front teeth
by Mrstrentreznor
Summary: A Christmas one shot. Izzy does a good deed and is rewarded with a wish. She makes a wish to see inside Paul's wolf mind. AU. My legal entry for the JBNP one shot competition. It got second prize.


**All I want for Christmas is your two front teeth**

AN: Melinda(dorme99) challenge: the song... Shoots and Ladders by Korn. The song is basically nursery rhymes. I started thinking about wolves in nursery rhymes and fairy tales. Then I did some research on little red riding hood and voila.

_In Ossettic/ Russian mythology, apples are life-giving, bestowing immortality and protecting against disease. A lesser goddess among the powerful personages of December was the Dirneweibl. She appeared at a specific bush in the woods, often referred to as the Christmas bush, and seemed to be more like a nymph of the forest than a full-fledged goddess. She wore a bright red cloak and offered mortals red apples from the basket she carried. Anyone accepting such a gift was rewarded with health and prosperity. But should the person not accept her offering, she retreated further and further into the forest crying pitifully. She is a mysterious figure, both luring the unsuspecting passerby deeper and deeper into the woods but also offering health and happiness in the form of her apples. She is simultaneously dangerous yet beneficent. It is only fitting that her cloak be red, symbolizing all those emotions associated with arousal, including anger, passion, love and even death._

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><p>I have used my Paul and BellaIzzy from Apologies.

I also added some photos of course fanfic won't add them… sigh. It really added something extra. Google 'wolf kisses images' to see some of them that inspired me.

It won second prize in the JBNP contest and I was pleased with that.

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><p><strong>All I want for Christmas is your two front teeth<strong>

_Disclaimer: the characters and all recognisable situations belong to Stephenie Meyer - this is a work of fan fiction, except for the legends and histories of the Quileute that, of course, belong to them. I pay my respects to their gods._

_Thanks to BanSidhe [ruadh sidhe] and Feebes86 for betaing and pre-reading._

Izzy Lahote was rushing home. The pre Christmas rush gave her hives. Everyone so stressed and so desperate to get that last present; that last piece of food; that last decoration. As if their life depended on it. As if they were all going to starve in the alarmingly short time that the shops were **not** open for these days. As if they couldn't have lived off the leftovers and the contents of the pantry for a month. She pitied shop staff that had to work these crazy hours now.

Christmas was supposed to be a time for families and relaxing together.

And now she had a family. She and Paul had a son. It still blew her away. She found herself hovering over his crib, watching him sleep. She thought he was a miracle. Her very own little miracle. He was a gift so that's what they called him; Jesse. From the Hebrew name Yishay which meant 'gift'.

Jesse Charles after his grandfather; who adored him with a seemingly endless supply of love. It made her wonder just how much Charlie had missed her childhood in his life.

But things were better now and Renee and Phil had even made the trip out to stay with them this year. Paul and Phil got on well. Not that her mother had ever been much of a help; but it was someone to hold Jesse while she did some other jobs. Like now. She was just popping out to get some more of those last minute things. Next year she was going to have a list and be more organised and have none of this last minute panic.

And speaking of panic… her old faithful truck made an alarming clunk noise and coughed a little before it rolled to a stop at the side of the road. "Oh for heaven's sake!" she abused it. "Now? You break down today of all days! Christmas Eve?"

She looked around. It was already dark. She probably shouldn't have visited Angela Weber on the way home. But she really wanted to see her before she headed off back to college and her new life.

"I know where I am," she realised. She was closer to her home as the crow flew, than if she followed the road. She could just cut through the forest. Being imprinted on by a wolf, made her less wary of the forest than she used to be, but it was still a concern.

Historically, she had got lost in the forest behind her own house… what were the odds that she could get home safely now? She couldn't carry the parcels. They should be safe down on the floor. As long as she closed the windows, a stray dog couldn't get into anything and it was cold enough for the groceries to not go off. Paul could find the truck easily enough later.

She was still thinking about Paul as she walked through the forest. Certain that she was heading the right way. And even if she did get lost, _her_ wolf would find her. This time she knew it wouldn't be Sam who would find her; it would be Gray; Paul's wolf. She wonders how her life would have been different if **he** had found her that time instead of Sam.

She almost laughed. Lord knows what Paul would have done with her in the forest. He had, after all, been sent to apologise for phasing in front of her and had ended up having sex with her in her bathroom. That had been the start of their relationship. She had got to know Paul in a strange order, first biblically, then the man and then she had met his wolf and finally he had imprinted on her. His wolf had loved her first and then the man had loved her too.

She had met the wolf plenty of times now. She loved going for rides on his back through the forest. The speed… and the agility; it was exhilarating.

She loved them both. But did she truly understand her wolf partner? Paul? Some days he was a mystery to her. She loved his animal side; his aggression and ownership. The way he growled 'mine' just made her wet instantly. But she wasn't sure that she really understood the wolf.

Paul had told her that the wolf had simple needs. He had said, "Food, shelter, pack and mate. That'll do it for him. It's not a big list." Paul's wolf had known she was their mate before he had.

And now he had a pup.

Some days she wished she knew how the wolf felt about her and their son.

She stopped suddenly. She heard a noise. For a second she was on alert and then she saw a flash of red. Nothing animal was that bright red. It had to be a person.

Then she saw the figure in front of her on the path. Seriously? Was this a joke? It was little red riding hood. And not only did she have a floor length cloak of the brightest red, but she was carrying a wicker basket over her arm. And it wasn't Halloween. But oddly she was not a small child. She looked about sixteen. That age when girls could be both sexual and innocent; like Lolita.

"A-are you okay?" Izzy called out to her.

She looked up suddenly wiping at her face. "I'm lost," she wailed.

"Oh… that's okay. I know where we are."

"Are you sure?"

"Certain. My house is just along here at the end of this path… maybe another quarter mile."

"I see."

Izzy wasn't sure what to do with this girl. She was a stranger to her. She wasn't Quileute. Her curled blond hair looked very European. "D-did you want to walk with me?" she offered. "When we get to my house, we could phone someone for you if you like."

"Yes. Thank you."

Izzy tried to walk without obviously checking the girl out. She felt that this was somehow in the magically weird category. There was just something strange about this girl. And there really wasn't a rational explanation.

She held her basket up towards Izzy. "Would you like something?"

"No, that's okay I don't need anything."

"Consider it a gift. To say 'thanks'."

Izzy looked into the basket. She had wine, some kind of biscuity thing and some apples. Izzy was still breastfeeding Jesse, so wine was out. She also had eaten enough sweet things this month to last her a lifetime. "Is it okay if I just have an apple?"

"Good choice," the girl said and she smiled at her. "Did you want anything else?" she asked.

"Oh no… the apple is more than enough," Izzy blustered.

And the she realised that the trees were thinning. She could see the back of her house. She hurried ahead of the girl eagerly. "Look," she cried. "There's my house. You made it."

She turned back, but the girl was gone. She heard an echo of her voice in the air. "Tell no one and you will get your wish."

"B-but I didn't make a wish," she protested.

A tinkling laugh was her only reply.

She stood there with the apple in her hand and tried to remember what wish she had made. Paul came bounding out the back door. "Hey!" he called.

"Hey yourself."

"Why are you coming the back way? You crashed the red devil?"

"No… it just stopped. I walked through the forest."

He looked at her in concern. "Are you okay, Baby?"

She shook her head as if to clear it. She smiled at him. Reaching for him. "I am now."

"You forgot fuel didn't you?" He put an arm around her.

"Fuel?"

"You know… you put it in the tank and the engine goes vroom," he explained.

"I know what fuel is," she grizzled.

"I reminded you this morning," he stated. "I _knew_ you weren't listening."

"Oh," she said in a small voice. "I did forget. I'm sorry. Do you mind fetching the groceries for me? I left them in the truck."

He kissed her quickly. "No problem. I am always up for a dash through the woods. You know that, honey. You go talk to your Mum."

He gave a kind of bounce before he started off into the forest. She loved watching him move. She really hoped that she never got tired of that. All of a sudden, her wish returned to her; she had wished to know how the wolf felt about her and Jesse. Was that her wish?

She laughed to herself. What was that saying? Be careful what you wish for? She opened the back door and let herself into her home.

"There you are," her mother commented. She was standing in the kitchen holding Jesse. He leaned towards her and uttered the welcome squeal that did for her name. He could say 'dada' but that had only been a recent thing. She dropped her bag and reached for him too. He sat happily on her hip. She still had the apple in her hand. He tried to reach for it but it was a little hard for him to grasp.

"What a lovely apple," Renee commented.

"I'll go you quarters," she offered. "That way we can all have some."

"Great idea," Renee commented as she took it out of Izzy's hand and cut it up for her.

They saved a quarter for Paul to eat when he got back. Phil said he didn't want any and Izzy wrapped up the last quarter for Charlie. She somehow felt it was important. When she got a spare minute, she did some research on the Internet. The girl in the forest had seemed just too odd. She finally decided that she had met the December goddess. She was good with weird, but this was high on her weirdness scale.

She decided that whatever was going to happen would. There was no point worrying about it.

They took lots of photos with their Christmas tree and the smallish pile of presents under it. Charlie was with Sue tonight but promised he would be over to spend the day with them tomorrow; Jesse's first Christmas. He was really looking forward to it.

They were all in bed early that night. She slept wrapped in the arms of her mate and she felt overwhelmingly happy.

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><p>She woke from a dream where she had been walking in the forest again. She hadn't had a dream like that for years. She woke and tumbled off their bed in her confusion. She wasn't herself. She <strong>literally<strong> wasn't herself.

Paul woke and moved almost unnaturally quickly into a state of readiness.

"Izzy?" he asked.

She tried to answer him but she just made some odd kind of throaty growling noise.

"Honey?" he repeated. "I know it's you. I could smell you anywhere. Even if you are all covered in fur." He looked her over. "Why are you a wolf?"

She shook her head. She couldn't answer him. It felt seriously weird to have ears on the top of her head. And a tail… she had a tail.

"Is this your dream or mine?" he chuckled.

He studied her. "I am **so** taking you outside. Let me just check on something…" he rolled out of bed and darted down the hallway. She tried standing on her four feet.

She could hear him moving around the house.

He popped his head back in the doorway. "Coast is clear," he stated. "Everyone seems to be asleep. Can't wake them. I assume it has something to do with this." He waved at her with a hand. "And don't worry Jesses is fine. Did you want to check?"

She nodded at him. her head felt enormous and really heavy.

She was astonished by his easy acceptance of this. But then she thought he experienced magic every day. His body reshaped itself and he became a wolf almost every day. If that wasn't magic, she sure as hell didn't know what was.

He opened the door for her into Jesse's nursery. She stretched up to see him in his crib; sniffing at him through the bars. He was sound asleep in his favourite position, on his stomach with his butt up in the air. She had tried and tried to get him to sleep on his back, but he would always roll over.

"There, he's safe," Paul said, tucking the blankets around his tiny body. "Come on… let's go outside. I am so hoping I can talk to you. Mind to mind you know."

He escorted her through her own house with his hand resting on the back of her neck. He opened the front door for her. She darted outside. On the edge of the forest she saw her red riding hood. 'You cannot tell him how. It will disappear if you do. Each year this will be yours for one short time. You are a rare person; you even shared the apple.' She didn't say it out loud; it just appeared in her head.

She nodded to say she understood. She tried to send her her thanks. The girl nodded back at her and faded from view.

Paul had stripped off his clothes and dropped them inside the front door. He hadn't seen the cloaked girl before she disappeared. He walked out to her naked. She would never get tired of watching him. He walked towards the forest and she followed him.

He phased into a wolf inside the tree line. It was habit; he already knew no one else was awake.

He shook his fur out.

_So you can hear me?_

_Yes. Oh my god… I can hear you and I'm a wolf and this is so … seriously weird. I don't know why this is happening…_

_Whoa. Slow it down there. _

_I'm a wolf._

_I know. Believe me baby, I know._

He leaned in close and sniffed at her.

_You smell great._

She gave him wolf kisses and he laughed. He sounded joyous.

It started to snow and it never snowed in La Push itself. Was that more magic?

_Paul: Come on let's go up high in the mountains so that we can play in the snow._

She ran with him; she felt so free and so alive. The higher they climbed the deeper the snow became.

He pounced on her; rolling her over and holding her down in the snow. She was happy to have his attention. She was his mate and she loved him. She sent him waves of love and emotion. And his reflected back at her. She knew now; he was so proud of his little family and he wanted more. He adored little Jesse just as much as she did.

He wanted a family for Jesse; he was an only child like her and he didn't want that for Jesse. He had never told her that. But he couldn't hide it from her now. He wanted at least three, hopefully more.

_Imagine if Jesse was with us?_ she thought.

_Oh yeah…he'd make the cutest pup. I saw this adorable little wolf pup last spring. He sent her an image of the memory._

_Oh, he is the cutest little thing. _

_He was calling his Mum._

_Maybe Jesse can come with us next year._

_You think there is going to be a next year?_

_I think so._

_Awesome! But just in case, we should just enjoy the time we have now._

They ran and played in the snow.

_I love you Paul._

_I love you too Izzy._

He lifted his head as he heard something.

_Paul: Hunt with me._

_Izzy: Eww…what do I do with it when I catch it? Do I have to eat it?_

_Paul: No. Come on. Just run. Play chasings,_ he cajoled.

He bounced around her, nipping and biting at her until she laughed and ran from him. He chased her.

_Paul: I wish I could show you off to the pack. _

_Izzy: Oh no… you can't. It's a secret. Just for this night._

_Paul: Yeah. I get that. It's magic. This is a gift; just for us baby._

_Izzy: It'll be our little secret._

_Paul: Agreed._

_Izzy: how will you not think about it? To the pack?_

_Paul: I don't know, but I suspect it won't be an issue._

They played. The sun came up and they knew somehow it was magic. There was not another person in this world of theirs.

She understood now his heightened senses; how he could hear something literally miles away. The sense of smell was so discriminating she had a scent map of everything that had walked over a spot recently. It was almost overwhelming. And her eyesight? She could identify birds flying in the air.

She also understood the power of the imprint. He worshipped the ground on which she walked. He saw their child as the expression of that love.

_We can have as many children as you want._ She promised him rashly.

He laughed. _ Sure, sure woman. You'll know when you've had enough._

They ran until they had that pleasant tired feeling and then they went home. They curled up on the floor of their bedroom. He wrapped himself around her as he usually did in human form

_Happy Christmas, Paul._

A snore was her only reply. She didn't mind.

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><p>They were woken by the sound of their son chatting to himself through the baby monitor. They were human again and naked. At some point during the night, one of them must have pulled the quilt from the bed down on top of them.<p>

"Oh look, my present is already unwrapped… naked wife," he crowed.

She laughed. "No time… Jesse won't wait forever. But I promise an afternoon nap."

"You're on." He stood and helped her to her feet. Kissing her soundly. "His first Christmas. I am so excited!"

He darted out the door to fetch him.

"Clothes, Paul," she called out after him, before she heard a squeal from her mother, who had clearly gone to fetch her grandson as well.

She rushed to grab her gown. The flash of scarlet reminded her of the December goddess and she sent her another thankyou. Her gift this Christmas was one she was certain she would never forget.

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><p>[AN: Kissa621 won the contest. Her entry is posted on ff as well; it's very sweet.<p>

s/7666315/1/A_Black_Christmas

FF_2154210_ - 23/12/2011 04:33:00 PM


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